The present invention relates generally to modulating array transmitters, and more particularly, to a power recycling method and power recovery circuit for use with modulating array transmitters that improves the prime power efficiency.
A modulating array transmitter developed by the assignee of the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,651, entitled "Modulating Array QAM Transmitter", discloses the combination of saturated phase shift key modulated power stages (comprising a phase shift keyer driving a power amplifier) that produce various constellations of amplitude-phase keyed digital signal constellations. For many of the smaller amplitude output power states, pairs of power stages are combined so that their output signals cancel. Since these states require full prime power to drive the power amplifiers and since their outputs do not contribute to useful output power, these states result in a decrease in prime power efficiency.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for a power recycling method and power recovery circuit for use with a modulating array transmitter that improves the prime power efficiency.